Chapter 13
DORIAN
Iwas restocking the new arrivals table when Annie came in, dressed in jeans and a blouse. “Morning, Dorian.”
“Good morning.”
She dropped her bag behind the desk and grabbed her apron. “Can I help you with that?”
“No, I’ve got it. But if you wanted to tidy up the children’s section, that would be great. We had a few hellions in here yesterday, and I didn’t have a chance to clean up. Had to get ready for my date.” I grinned.
“Sounds like you had a good time,” Annie said, ever so casually as she tied her apron.
“I think so.”
“She said her jaw ached from laughing so much.”
“That’s a good sign, right?”
She turned to face me, her expression serious.
“She hasn’t laughed like that in a long time.
Those were her words. So yeah, it’s a good sign.
” Her voice caught and she played with the charm hanging on a chain around her neck.
“I can’t tell you how much it means to me to have her come home smiling and glowing.
It’s all I’ve wanted for a long time. Thank you. ”
“You shouldn’t thank me. It’s entirely selfish on my part. Making her laugh might be the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. “Is that true?”
“I would never lie about something like that.”
“What would you lie about?”
I chuckled as I straightened a stack of books on the table. “Only to spare someone’s feelings. Unless I knew it was something that would hurt them later if I didn’t tell them the truth.”
“For example?”
I turned to look at her. Interrogating me like this reminded me of her mother, yet, like with Delphine, it was totally adorable. “For example? Let me think.” Of course I couldn’t conjure a single one.
“Like you wouldn’t tell me you liked my mom if it wasn’t true just because I want it to be.”
“Yes, that’s a great example. And I do like your mom. Very much.”
She puffed out a breath, then smiled. “Okay, good. I’ll get to work now.”
The next couple hours were busy with customers, mostly tourists, who delighted in the small town bookstore.
A few asked after my mother, saying they’d met her in past visits.
I had to tell them she was gone, but that I was her son.
That seemed to make them feel slightly better, but clearly my mother had left a mark on anyone who met her.
Seraphina came by a little after eleven so we could talk about her upcoming signing. I took her back to the office so we could talk privately.
“How are you?” I asked.
“I’m good. Just sent off the latest book, so I’m taking the day for myself. Hunter was able to finish up his business in Nashville and comes in tonight. I’m attempting to make him something special for dinner.”
“There’s always takeout,” I said. Seraphina was notorious for her disinterest in cooking.
“I have a backup plan, trust me.”
We chatted about the upcoming signing. We’d done four together since I took over the store.
They were always well attended and low stress.
Seraphina wasn’t demanding, which for authors was not the norm.
I’d had a few divas of late. In addition, Seraphina’s books were even more popular since the premier of her Netflix movie.
I expected a lot of people, which was always good for the store.
“Okay, now that we have all that figured out,” Seraphina said. “Let’s talk about you. And Delphine. How was the date? I heard it was good.”
“Word gets around in a small town,” I said.
“More like in a group chat. None of us can mind our own business.”
“That’s what friends are for,” I said.
“She had fun,” Seraphina said. “Said you made her laugh.”
“We had some good laughs.”
“Tyler said Robbie ran the algorithm, and you’re now ninety-six percent compatible. Which is significantly higher than his original assessment.”
I watched her carefully, to detect whether she thought the algorithm was a cute antic or real. From her earnest expression, it seemed to be the latter. “You believe in that?” I asked.
“The proof’s in the data. His matches have proven to be accurate for four times now. How could I not?”
“Yeah, seems that way.”
“Are you taking her out again soon?” Seraphina asked.
“I want to. If she does.”
“She does,” Seraphina said.
“Any ideas for good date spots?”
“You nailed it with the picnic on the beach. Maybe a nice dinner at Tidewater? It’s a romantic spot.”
“I’m on it.”
We continued to chat about other ideas as we headed out of my office to the front counter where Annie was just finishing up with a customer.
“Seraphina, look at me,” Annie said, bouncing over to us. “I have an apron and everything.”
“You look great,” Seraphina said.
“She’s a natural,” I said.
“I’m learning a ton,” Annie said. “And it’s so fun to meet all the customers. You can tell a lot about a person by what book they buy.”
Seraphina gave us both hugs and then hurried out the door to do her other errands. As she walked out, a blonde woman in a pink suit walked through the doors. The realtor. From the app. What was her name?
She saw me and headed straight for me, her gaze a bit hawklike. I braced myself.
“Dorian Flynn, correct?”
“That’s me.”
“I’m Camille Archer. I sent you a note on the app but, since I didn’t hear from you, I thought I’d drop by and say hello in person.” She smiled and tossed her mane of white blonde hair behind her petite shoulders.
She was pretty. Sort of. I mean, she should have been pretty.
Her features were symmetrical, with a small, upturned nose, pouty lips that may or may not have had filler in them.
Blue eyes, perfectly made up. Yet, she was not attractive.
Not to me. It might have been her aggressiveness that threw me off.
That and she kept touching my arm while she was talking to me in a way that felt very used-car salesman.
If Annie and I were dogs, this woman was a fox.
“I’m having a little soiree at my house this weekend,” Camille said. “You should come.”
“What’s the occasion?”
“I’m celebrating winning realtor of the year. For the second time in a row.” She smiled, showing white teeth that seemed too small for an adult but fit her mouth perfectly. I imagined them sharp, cutting into whatever she wanted to devour. Hopefully not me.
“I hope it’s not too forward, stopping by like this. But your profile really spoke to me.”
What had it said to her?
She was opening her mouth to continue when the door swung open behind her.
Delphine walked in carrying a small paper bag in each hand, her sunglasses pushed up into her hair, wearing a blue sheath dress and heels. Looking like a million bucks. As always.
She stopped, only briefly, at the sight of Camille Archer standing beside me, before striding over to us.
“Hey,” Delphine said, ignoring Camille.
“Hi. What’s up?” I asked.
Poe came running out from taking a nap in my office, making a beeline for Delphine, immediately rubbing himself against her ankles. Annie popped out of the historical fiction corner.
“Mom, what are you doing here?”
Delphine held up the bags. “I brought sandwiches for you and Dorian.”
I’d never really seen someone’s mouth fully open in disbelief like Annie’s did in that moment.
“You did?” Annie asked.
“I figured you guys would be busy today, and you have to eat, right?” Delphine held up the bags before sitting them on the counter. “Chicken pesto from the new cafe. They’re fantastic.”
“That was nice of you,” I said. What was she up to?
Delphine placed her hand on my upper arm and leaned close enough for me to feel her warm breath on my neck. “Are we on for later?”
Later? We had nothing planned, but I understood what she was doing. I didn’t think she had it in her.
“Yes, we sure are. Looking forward to it,” I said.
Delphine turned to Camille, a polite smile on her face. “How are you, Camille? Business good?”
“Um, yes, fine,” Camille said, stepping sideways to create more distance between us. “And you?”
“Excellent, thank you.”
Poe strolled over to Camille, tail fluffy, and stared at her. Then, God help me, he leapt forward and attacked Camille’s expensive looking pumps as if they were a scratching post. Camille yelped and stepped backward.
“Bad kitty,” Camille hissed.
Poe hissed back.
Shocker.
Delphine knelt and patted the floor next to her. “Come over here, you naughty beast.”
Suddenly angelic, Poe lifted his head, gave Camille one additional loathing gaze and headed to Delphine.
He then proceeded to roll onto his back with his legs in the air, looking positively adorable.
Delphine cooed, scratching his tummy. “You have to be nice, Poe, or you won’t have any friends at all. ”
Poe seemed unworried, licking Delphine’s hand. Somehow Poe became a dog around Delphine.
Camille tuned to me, a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes, which I hadn’t thought possible just seconds ago. But it changed again, into something more akin to the antagonist who boiled the bunny in that frightening movie from the late eighties. “Why is your profile online if you’re … taken?”
I was stumped. I made eye contact with Annie, hoping she could get me out of this mess. She seemed to understand and moved closer. The bags emitted aromas of tangy pesto and grilled chicken, but any hunger I felt had departed.
Delphine rose to her feet, with Poe in her arms, both of them looking completely innocent.
“Oh, he was going to take that down but we’ve all been so busy,” Annie said. “You know how it is when things just click into place. Everything just goes so fast.”
“Exactly,” Delphine said, smiling as she smoothed the collar of my shirt with one hand while keeping Poe close to her chest with the other.
Camille looked at Annie, then Delphine, and finally me. “I see. Well, off I go. Mansions to sell, and no rest for the wicked.” She wriggled her fingers at all three of us. “Tootles. And don’t forget me if one of you decides to sell your home, given your new situation.”
“Will do,” Delphine said.
“Thanks for stopping in.” The back of my neck was hot, and I was starting to sweat.